Air-seated valve for vacuum chambers



June 22 1926.

N. P. BACH AIR SEATED VALVE FOR VACUUM CHAMBERS Filed June 50,

1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 22 ,19z5. 1,589,453

N. P. BACH I .un SEATED VALVE FOR VACUUM CHAMBERS Filed June so, 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 2 JJ 20 I v /4 I awuemtoz Patented June 22, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NEILS P. BACK, OFMILLBURN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 1'0 THERMOKEPT CQBPORA-TION, OF NEW YORK, N."Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE AIR-SEA'IED VALVEFOR VACUUM CHAMBERS.

Application filed June 30,1923. Serial No. 648,854.

This invention relates to pressure seated manner. It is to beunderstood, however,

valves which are continuously operative without breaking the vacuum in avacuum or treating chamber, while containers are fed into said chamber,on the one hand, and are as continuously removed therefrom on the other.

A further object of my invention includes means whereby containers arecontinuously lo and automatically moved into, and out of, a vacuumchamber without interruption of the proper degree of vacuumization toproperly treat commodities in said containers.

A further object embraces means whereby containers are fed into andremoved from a constantly vacuumized chamber while said feeding andremoving means are pressure seated by reason of the greater atmosphericpressure without said chamber.

Another object includes the provision of a continuously operativetreating chamber wherein containers are vaccumized and treated, andwhich mechanism is comparatively simple in construction, and eflicientin operation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter, and I attain these objects by themechanism illustrated in the accompanying illustrative drawing, inwhich- Fig. 1 is a plan View of a construction embodying the principlesof my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sideelevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on lines 3-3 of Fig. 5; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views respectively showing the slide valves,as well as the can moving mechanism in their extreme positions. I

Like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the art of vacuumizing and sealing articles of food, or othercommodities, in their permanent containers, it is essential that meanshe provided whereby said containers are continuously supplied to saidchamber, and as continuously removed therefrom, without interruption ofthe required degree of va'cuumization.

To this end I have inventedthe combination of elements and arrangementof parts whereby the desired results 'are eifected in an expeditiousmanner. I have shown in the accompanying drawing an illustrativemechanism which is suitable for effecting said desired r sults in aneificient and expeditious that the mechanism herein shown and describedis to be taken in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense, as it isapparent to those versed in the art that various modifications ofconstruction are possible, which would fall wholly within the spirit andscope of my invention as herein set -forth and claimed.

In carrying out the principles of my invention, I provide a suitablechamber wherein a proper degree of vacuumization may be maintained bythe usual and known means, as a hi h power vacuum pump, which is notherein s own and which forms no part of my'present invention. Thischamber is provided with means for being' s'upplied with containers andfor continuously passing said containers therethrough withoutinterruption of vacuumiza-tion; To this end I provide what I will callair seated slide valves 11 and 12 respectively for supplying andremoving containers in a continuous chain. These valves aresubstantially alike in construction and operation and comprise a canreceiving or can discharging pocket 13. and 13, and a port closing shoe14 and 15 for closing the respective ports 16 and 17 of the vacuumchamber 10. These slide valves are reciprocated by any suitable means,as a link 18 or 19, connecting the pocket arm20 or 21 to a suitablemotive power, as a pulley 22 or 23, supported on a common journal 24,and whichmay be driven from a suitable source of power as an electricmotor 2.) or the like.

Within pockets 13 or 13' are found the can moving fingers 26 and 27which are operated through a suitable stutfing box connection 30 bymeans of a knuckle'31,sl1ding in a guide 32. As shown best in Figs. 4 an5, the guide 32 is provided with a deflection 33, one at either end, formoving the proper finger (26 or 27) to feed a contalner into, say port16, or out of the pocket 13' for passing the container through thetreating chamber 10. Within said chamber any suitable mechanism forproperly handling the containers ma be provided. As an illustration Ihave s own a two pronged fork 34, having can moving prongs 35 and 36 formoving cans 37 and 38 from the receiv ng side. to the discharge side ofthe treating chamber. Fork 34 is mounted on a pivot both of which 39represents the head and, on

which the fork moves eccentrically on a slot 40 and said pivot by meansof a bell crank arm 41. This motion will permit the forks to withdrawwhen the can (38) is positioned in the ejector pocket 13, and to movetowards the receiving port 16 to there be thrust forward to engage a newcan (41) which has in the meantime been moved into position by the feedfinger 26. The containers are supplied to the feed pocket valve 13 byany suitable means as by a conveyor 42 and guide rail 43. The containersmay be similarly removed after treatment or they may be permitted toslide down an incline 44, for packing or for other purposes. It is anunderstood fact that the containers may be sealed within the vacuumchambers, if desired, or they may be merely vacuumized and passed on forsealing as may be desired. As the sealing feature forms no part of mypresent invention I have not shown or described a sealing mechanismoperating lvvithin, or without the vacuumizing cham- Having nowdescribed my invention, what I claim as new and useful, of my owninvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a vacuum treatment apparatus, a vacuum chamber in combination withoscillating air seated valve for supplying commodities to said chamber.

2. In a vacuum treatment apparatus, a vacuum chamber in combination witha plurality of oscillating valves for continuously causing containers tobe fed into and removed from said vacuum chamber, while a substantiallyconstant Vacuum is maintained in said chamber.

3. In a vacuum treatment apparatus, a stationary vacuum chamber incombination with oscillating air seated valves, disposed oppositely onthe outside surface of said chamber for supplying and removingcommodities to and from said chamber.

4. In a vacuum treatment apparatus, a stationary vacuum chamber having areceiving port and a discharge port oppositely disposed, and air seatedrcciprocative valves controlling said ports.

5. In a vacuum treatment apparatus, a vacuum chamber having a port,a.slidable valve fitting over said port and held in sealed relation bythe greater external pressure.

6. In a-vacuum treatment apparatus, a vacuum chamber having a port, aslidable valve fitting over said port and held in sealed relation by thegreater external pressure, and means to operate said .valve foradmitting or removing containers to said chamber in a continuous streamand without interruption of vacuumization.

7. In a vacuum treatment apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamberhaving ports, of slide valves without said chamber to cover said ports,said valves being provided with pockets to receive containers and meansin said pockets for ejecting said containers. t

8. In a vacuumtreatment apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamberhaving ports, of slide valves to cover said ports, said valves beingprovided with pockets to receive containers, an ejector finger for saidpockets, a guide rail on said chamber, a slide connection between saidfinger and said guide rail for operating said finger at predeterminedpositions.

9. In a vacuum treatment apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamberhaving ports, of slide valves to cover said ports, said valves beingprovided with pockets, fingers in said pockets, and means within saidchamber for moving said containers through said chamber in substantiallystraight lines.

10. In a vacuum treatment apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamberhaving ports, of slide valves to cover said ports, said valves beingprovided with pockets to receive containers, an ejector finger for saidpockets, a plurality of parallel guide rails in said chamber adjacentsaid ports and means connecting said fingers, and said guide rails forcausing said fingers to eject said container.

11. An air seated valve for moving containers into or out' of vacuumchambers without breaking the vacuum maintained therein, which comprisesa port cover plate to slide over and cover a port in said chamber, apocket in said valve and means for reciprocating said valve to movecontainers into, or out of saidvacuum chamber.

12. An air seated valve for moving containers into or out of vacuumchambers without breaking the vacuum maintained therein, which comprisesa port cover plate having a container receiving pocket, an ejectorfinger in said pocket, said port plate being constantly pressure seatedby atmospheric pressure, and means for moving said valve to supply saidchamber with containers to be treated without interruptionofvacuumization.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 22nd day ofJune, A. D. 1923.

NEILS P. EACH.

